Old Man with Young Woman n.d.

Marquard Fidel Dominikus Wocher created this delicate drawing, Old Man with Young Woman, sometime between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. What might it tell us about social relations in Europe at that time? The image seems at first to depict a tender moment of intergenerational care, but we might also understand it as an encounter shaped by the social conventions of its time. Consider the power dynamics suggested by the figures' dress and posture. The old man is seated in a high-backed chair, his clothes are plain, a bonnet covers his head. He seems to represent a certain social class, rooted in a rural past. By contrast, the young woman is fashionable, her clothing is elegant and costly. To understand this image better, we could explore the visual culture of 18th and 19th century Europe, looking at similar depictions of social encounters. What can art history tell us about the changing status of women, or about the relationship between urban and rural life? Piecing together such a history helps us understand art as a reflection of its social and institutional context.